Giving Manila residents free WiFi access is a laudable idea. And the good news is, Manila city officials are hoping to do just that, with a plan to set up free WiFi zones in waiting sheds. The project will kick off with 12 waiting sheds. And when people get used to having free WiFi access in public areas such as these, this could lead to more free sites elsewhere.
The bad news? The plan raises tough security questions. First of all, how secure are the WiFi routers themselves? If they’re installed in plain view, they might be easily dismantled from their locations. Bye-bye, free WiFi.
And then there’s the safety of the users. It’s not a stretch to imagine that, while a user is tweeting on his smartphone, sending emails on his tablet, or watching movies on his notebook – out in the open, mind you – some enterprising thief or snatcher might just snap up the mobile device and run with it. Or a gaggle of users in one site might also fall prey to a group hold-up, with the thieves threatening or even harming victims with knives or guns.
Besides physical security, there is also the increased possibility of identity theft. If a mobile device were open to the network, it would be just as easy for a predator to wait until an open network connection was established and break into the device, stealing a user’s confidential data.
Current free WiFi users are aware of these issues and choose safe locations. But new users will need to be educated about the risks, and how to protect themselves.
Manila also plans a separate project to install CCTV security cameras around the city. That might help reduce crime, and it’s possible to tie these to the WiFi network for data transmission. Perhaps these free-WiFi waiting sheds should also have CCTV cameras installed as an additional layer of security. It’s no guarantee, but criminals might think twice before striking, knowing that their faces could be caught on camera for investigators to see and identify.
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